A pair of magnificent old buildings, re-purposed, re-imagined, and saved for posterity
James Fisher takes a look at new-build properties that offer the very best of modern living in enviable locations.


Just because something is new doesn’t mean it has to look new. Indeed, one of the great benefits of modern refurbishments is that they often offer a way to preserve historic sites. A fine example cropped up in Richmond-upon-Thames came up at the Star & Garter a few years ago; and in Oxfordshire, there's presently the example of Parklands Manor, near Besselsleigh.
The building was constructed in Victorian times as a manor house and school, but has now been converted into a variety of apartments and homes, on the market through Savills from around £415,000.
The properties are all brand new on the inside and benefit from the latest fittings and appliances, yet retain various period features from the original structure, such as fireplaces, windowsills and balconies.
Parklands Manor is surrounded by 23 acres of parkland, offering true rural comfort, but the development is well positioned and close to an array of charming villages, as well as being only 10 minutes from Oxford itself.
In Edinburgh, there's a similarly eye-catching building in an even more central location that has had the same sort of treatment. The Playfair building is one of the most recognisable in Edinburgh city centre and the former college now offers a variety of apartments within 16 acres of gardens and grounds only moments from Haymarket station.
Sale prices start at £275,000, but some of the more incredible apartments are going for far more: this penthouse suite, with a rooftop terrace that incorporates pillars and chimneys, has an asking price of £1.55 million.
The Victorian property, designed in the style of an Elizabethan palace, now conceals a variety of living and communal spaces that took three years of work by heritage developer City & Country to restore.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Apartments are a mix of the old and the new, with original windows, fireplaces and cornices working alongside modern kitchens and bathrooms, and come in various shapes and sizes, from studios to penthouse apartments.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.

James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London.
-
'To exist in this world relies on the hands of others': Roger Powell and modern British bookbinding
An exhibition on the legendary bookbinder Roger Powell reveals not only his great skill, but serves to reconnect us with the joy, power and importance of real craftsmanship.
By Hussein Kesvani Published
-
Spam: The tinned meaty treat that brought a taste of the ‘hot-dog life of Hollywood’ to war-weary Britain
Courtesy of our ‘special relationship’ with the US, Spam was a culinary phenomenon, says Mary Greene. So much so that in 1944, London’s Simpson’s, renowned for its roast beef, was offering creamed Spam casserole instead.
By Country Life Last updated
-
A mini estate in Kent that's so lovely it once featured in Simon Schama's 'History of Britain'
The Paper Mill estate is a picture-postcard in the Garden of England.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Hidden excellence in a £7.5 million north London home
Behind the traditional façades of Provost Road, you will find something very special.
By James Fisher Published
-
Sip tea and laugh at your neighbours in this seaside Norfolk home with a watchtower
On Cliff Hill in Gorleston, one home is taller than all the others. It could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
A Grecian masterpiece that might be one of the nation's finest homes comes up for sale in Kent
Grade I-listed Holwood House sits in 40 acres of private parkland just 15 miles from central London. It is spectacular.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Some of the finest landscapes in the North of England with a 12-bedroom home attached
Upper House in Derbyshire shows why the Kinder landscape was worth fighting for.
By James Fisher Published
-
Could Gruber's Antiques from Paddington 2 be your new Notting Hill home?
It was the home of Mr Gruber and his antiques in the film, but in the real world, Alice's Antiques could be yours.
By James Fisher Published
-
What should 1.5 million new homes look like?
The King's recent visit to Nansledan with the Prime Minister gives us a clue as to Labour's plans, but what are the benefits of traditional architecture? And can they solve a housing crisis?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
Welcome to the modern party barn, where disco balls are 'non-negotiable'
A party barn is the ultimate good-time utopia, devoid of the toil of a home gym or the practicalities of a home office. Modern efforts are a world away from the draughty, hay-bales-and-a-hi-fi set-up of yesteryear.
By Madeleine Silver Published